Undeterred
by Shiny Wurmple
Summary: Who is Zechs Marquise really, and what is he hiding? What is the reason for Lady Une to dislike Lucrezia Noin? Everything starts out innocently enough at Lake Victoria Academy, but things take a darker turn soon enough. Find out more, in the next exciting episode of Undeterred. Chapter 2 is up! Please read and review.
1. First Impressions

**Undeterred**

Chapter One: First Impressions

* * *

Lake Victoria Military Academy, 191 A.C.

Tanzania

* * *

Eighteen year old Lucrezia Noin was late as usual, and to make matters worse; she was also lost. It was only the second day of her stay at the Specials Military Academy and being late to the first presentation, or not showing up at all, would not make a very good first impression. The large cadet dormitory buildings were a few miles away from the academy's campus, and with all the buildings looking so similar, it wasn't hard to lose your way. Especially if you lost the map.

The Tanzanian temperatures had risen steadily since she left her dorm this morning at around 9 o'clock, and Noin was already breaking a sweat in her military uniform. For someone who'd lived in the Mediterranean for most of her life, the African humidity hit Noin like a ton of bricks. If it were up to her, she'd wear shorts all year round in this climate, but most other students seemed to stick to the dress code religiously. They didn't even change after classes, so Noin figured that when in Rome, one should do as the Romans do.

A little further up ahead was a mansion so large that it could have easily been a hotel. Noin decided to have a look and ask someone the quickest way.

What immediately caught her attention was the garden. A gardener was busy watering and removing dead leaves from the most beautiful rosebushes she'd ever seen. The roses were all different shades of red, ranging from vibrant scarlet and vermillion to deep carmine colors. Their pleasant fragrances, mixed with the hot summer air were almost strong enough to smell from a mile away.

She could make out a number of people carrying out their daily tasks. A young red headed man was trimming the hedges that framed the beautifully manicured lawn. He bent his head down as he worked, sweating with concentration. The hedges were clipped in the shapes of various animals, but most of them were lions in menacing poses, ready to pounce on any intruders. Noin would later learn that this was called a 'topiary', a word she wasn't familiar with at first. The steady hum of a good - sized lawnmower could be heard in the distance.

An elderly gentleman sitting on a lawn chair was enjoying a glass of wine. He was shaded from the sun by a brightly colored parasol. To Noin, he looked like a perfect picture of elegance and aristocracy. When he noticed her looking at him, he smiled and raised his glass as a friendly salute.

Noin leaned closer against the steel tipped fence surrounding the courtyard. She had temporarily forgotten where she was supposed to go, and what she was supposed to do.

"I'll never make it on time."

Noin cursed under her breath and turned around to walk back to the dorms. She'd never make the presentation on time, and at least this way she'd escape the hottest hour of the day. On her first day, she heard rumors from the other cadets that instructor Une wasn't easy to deal with. And that was putting it very nicely. She paused for a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow, and to swipe at the tiny black cloud of mosquitoes that were buzzing around her exposed arms.

She just finished rolling her sleeves back down when she felt a hand on her shoulder and a soft - spoken voice behind her.

"Can I help you?"

The man it belonged to was tall and very handsome. He had auburn hair that was combed back, save for a few rebellious strands that hung across his face and moved softly in the wind, pale skin and piercing blue eyes. Much like herself, he was dressed in full military attire, from the high boots all superior officers wore to the uniform coat. Noin though the gold- embroidered royal blue jacket matched his eyes perfectly.

She approached, careful not to step on the carpet of fallen leaves and rose petals he had been trimming.

"Yes, well, maybe. I didn't mean to stare, or anything." She shot him a small smile, and rubbed the side of her face – something she usually did when she was feeling nervous.

"Not at all, the garden is here to be admired. Please, stay a while." He graciously extended a gloved hand to her, motioning her to come sit with him.

"Thank you. My name is Lucrezia Noin, and I was supposed to be at the Victoria Lake academy main hall for a presentation given by Lady Une…about 45 minutes ago."

An amused smile formed around the mystery man's lips, lighting up his face.

"Ah, I see. I wouldn't pay it any mind. Lucrezia, was it? It's a pleasure to meet you." Noin was just going for a handshake, but he raised her hand to his lips and placed a light kiss on her fingers, making her blush furiously.

"Nice to meet you too," she said in a small voice.

"That presentation is nothing more than an introduction for the new recruits, explaining the rules of the Academy. I'd be more than happy to give you a summary, if you like. Don't worry about Lady Une." 'I will handle it', was what Treize wanted to add, but that would make her understand that Une was in fact his subordinate, and Treize didn't want her to know who he was. Not yet. He liked her far too much to shatter the illusion so quickly.

_'If only...'_

"I assume you were a student at the academy as well?" Noin asked, making him lose his train of thought.

"That was quite a while ago, but your assumption is correct, yes." He raised his hand, and as if on cue a butler appeared with a bottle of water. He handed it over to Noin, who gratefully accepted.

"Thank you."

The sincere gratitude in her voice brought a smile to his face. Lloyd bowed, and then rushed away to take care of his other responsibilities.

Noin knelt next to Treize, one knee resting in the soft soil in front of the rosebushes.

"Allow me to ask you a question this time. What made you join the Specials? I find it rather difficult to believe that someone as intelligent and kind as you is very eager to fight in this war." Noin smiled, leaned down and idly plucked a white petalled daisy from the grass, trying to think of an answer that might satisfy her new acquaintance.

"I don't like war. To be honest, I hate it. I think people's lives are precious, but in war, they're often treated as expendable. I would give my all as a soldier to protect my friends, and the ideas I value." Her companion did not object. Instead he nodded, motioning her to go on.

She took another sip of the cool water and continued. "I was always at the top of my class. Sometimes I worked hard for it. Sometimes, I didn't need to. I'm very lucky to be here on a full scholarship. But most of all, I'm here because of my love for outer space. I've always wanted to be an astronaut, you see. Becoming a mobile suit pilot might give me the experience and opportunity to explore deep space, someday."

A huge cotton like cloud temporarily blotted out the sun, and Treize could see Noin had gotten a serious expression on her face.

"In that case, I hope that your dream comes true," he said, and meant it.

"Thank you. I really wish I could stay, but I should get going now. You know, if I make the end of Une's speech, I might be on time to meet my new roomie, whoever it may be. I'd rather find out sooner than later."

"Of course. I won't hold you up any longer. It really was a pleasure to meet you, Lucrezia. I've got a feeling we'll see each other again soon."

Noin felt herself blush again, and hoping he wouldn't notice she muttered a goodbye, and left, waving once she was outside the gate.

He waved back, shielding his eyes from the sun, and watched her go as she passed him. Noin ran as fast as the heat and heavy uniform would allow her to, hoping to catch the end of the presentation. At the very least she should be present when they got assigned a roommate. It was almost 10.15 A.M. when she pushed against the heavy wooden doors of the main building. A thought crossed her mind when she entered, her footsteps echoing loudly in the empty halls. Would she see really him again? She forgot to ask his name.

* * *

Zechs Marquise tried very hard to drown out the annoying instructor's voice, but failed. Although well – presented, her long-winded presentation didn't interest him in the slightest, and unlike many of the other students, he had come fully prepared to the Academy. He knew what was generally expected in regard to conduct, and didn't care for a pep talk. He had his own reasons for joining the Specials training program, and was confident nothing (or no one) would deter him from achieving the goals he set for himself.

On his right side, a group of young male cadets seemed to completely disregard Instructor Une, and were talking among themselves. Loudly.

Zechs knew better than to generalize, but having been to so many different places, and having met so many different people, it was apparent to him that a certain type often stood out like a sore thumb. It was as if he had some kind of radar in his head to single them out, and they had one too. He had made up a term for the immature, often spoiled young men that always seemed to sail through life smoothly, trampling anyone they deemed unworthy. He called them the Privileged Idiots.

He knew they were making a mockery of his mask, and his platinum blonde hair he kept long. He could hear them laughing. He'd been insulted so many times before. Masked freak. Weirdo. Gay boy. They couldn't possibly begin to understand what he went through! He suddenly felt the rage come back.

Zechs clenched his fists so hard he could feel his fingernails dig into his palms and draw blood. The pain didn't make the rage subside. It didn't go away until he felt someone bump into him. Whether it was intentional or not, he didn't know, but he recoiled almost immediately. The Privileged Idiots had never gotten physical with him before.

When he looked up, he saw the latecomer wasn't one of his tormentors, it was an attractive dark - haired girl he'd never seen before. She ran a hand through her bangs, revealing dark eyes, which Zechs thought were absolutely gorgeous. Her otherwise pale face looked a little flushed, and she was panting heavily as if she just ran a marathon.

She stepped a little closer to him and whispered conspiratorially: "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm Noin."

She casually extended her hand towards him, simply meaning to introduce herself. At first, panic rose in his throat, but he managed to compose himself and accepted. He nodded weakly. She was standing close enough to see his icy blue eyes through the mask he wore. In his eyes was a mixture of unease and fear. It was the look of a person who had gone through some kind of abuse, and was trying very hard to forget.

Zechs braced himself for questions about the mask or his background, but they never came. She didn't look at him with the contemptuous glare the others usually reserved for him. There was no contempt in her eyes, just a genuine curiosity.

"My name is Zechs Marquise," he whispered. It was barely audible, and he didn't think she heard him, but she did.

"Nice to meet you, Zechs," Noin said.

He didn't reply, but was able to manage a smile. Looking back at their first meeting, it boggled his mind how natural it had been, how easily they connected. He never really trusted anyone before, but she was different. He just knew from the start.

Lucrezia, he wouldn't find out her first name until later that day, Lucrezia Noin was the first person to treat him like a normal human being in years.

* * *

AN: Hi! This is my first attempt at writing, so please go easy on me.

This story takes place when Zechs and Noin were classmates at the Victoria Lake Academy. I made them a little older for story purposes, Noin is 18, Zechs is 19, and Treize is 25. This is my take on their story, so forgive me if it's not 100% like the manga.

Please let me know what you think! Dropping me a review, or constructive criticism would be much appreciated, and would really help me improve my confidence as a writer. Feel free to leave suggestions too.


	2. Intrigued

**Undeterred**

Chapter Two: Intrigue

* * *

12.00 noon

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Zechs was getting really tired with instructor Une, but she wasn't finished yet. She was going to have her say, every last word of it. Zechs commended her for her passion for the job, but then his initial dislike washed over him again like a wave.

Noin didn't share his feelings of unease, she felt nothing but relief. Who would have guessed a delay? She didn't need to worry about being late after all.

According to the others, they would get the rest of the day off after Lady Une's introductory speech and meeting their superior officer, general Treize Khushrenada. She briefly wondered who he was, and what he looked like, then her mind went back to Lady Une's speech. She made sure to listen carefully. Une was not the kind of person to repeat herself.

* * *

Midi 'Lady' Une knew what her students thought of her and had a good idea of what they called her behind her back, and frankly, she didn't care. She was the one who would have to teach them the hard life lessons their spineless high school teachers failed to mention. Failure was not an option in her unforgiving eyes, not during the war, not ever. She glanced across the large auditorium. The new cadets were standing around like idiots, giggling and whispering among themselves. A sad looking bunch, some hardly more than children, Une thought as she continued to explain the physical and academic requirements to pass the year and become pilots.

It was blatantly obvious that not everyone took the Specials training seriously. They didn't understand what a privilege it was to train under renowed instructors such as herself, and his Excellency, of course. It all really came boiling down to the simple fact that not everyone had what it takes. Many of the young bright-eyed cadets standing before her today, would have to be cut from the program, one way or another.

Victoria Lake Academy, being part of a military base, held a certain amount of leniency towards aristocrats, and the children of privileged families, who planned to build their carriers in the military or aim for political functions. Then there were those with athletic scholarships. At the very least they'd be in good shape, and hopefully stupid enough to obey her every order without question. And then there were the others, accepted into the school with academic scholarships. Weaklings. Her eyes lingered on Zechs for a moment, not quite knowing what to think of the strange masked youth.

A light tap on her shoulder brought her out of her musings. Andrew Wattson, the school's military history teacher, an old man with white fluffy hair and a friendly wrinkled face, had come to inform her that his Excellency had arrived. She shot him a smile, and when she smiled, her sharp features softened, and she almost looked pretty.

Even though it was no secret that she was deeply in love with Treize, the sudden transformation in her features still amazed Wattson. Sometimes, it was as if she had two different personalities, the strict colonel, and the gentle lady. He quickly made his leave as Lady Une wrapped up her presentation, and proceeded to introduce his Excellency as the next speaker.

"….But let's hear from your superior, the youngest member of Romefeller to ever rise to the rank of general. I present his Excellency duke Treize Khushrenada."

As noisy as it had been when Une was speaking, the room suddenly went quiet, and the last whispers died down when Treize appeared on stage. It was as if the students were collectively holding their breath.

Treize scanned his audience as a learned public speaker, quickly spotting Noin and Zechs amidst the crowd of students, and for the one second their eyes met, a rueful look came onto his face. The flutter Noin had felt in her chest when she first laid eyes on him came back, a little stronger this time. The distance between them seemed increased by the stage, he was close by, but still unattainably far away.

_'You kept your promise. Nice to see you again, Treize'_, she thought.

* * *

The students were first divided into groups, then Lady Une assigned them their roommates, reading their names aloud from a bunch of papers held together by a clipboard.

Some of the boys smiled when they heard they were paired together, obviously knowing each other from before the Academy. Others groaned. Noin honestly wasn't surprised when she got paired up with Zechs as her roommate, and neither was he. They had been fated to meet, and become friends. He looked up at her in gratitude, the strained expression lifting from his face.

"Come on roomie, let's go see our new home," Noin said, after they were dismissed. She linked her arm into his, and guided Zechs to his new room.

It was not unheard of for male and female recruits to share a room, especially since the living quarters were limited, and female students were still somewhat of a minority, but the unusual thing about the situation was that his Excellency had explicitly ordered for Zechs and Noin to be placed together. Why? Lady Une furrowed her brows in disdain.

What had this common girl done to leave such an impression on his Excellency? She's only been here one day and already gets special treatment. The first bitter seed of jealousy had been sown by that event, and despite the heat, Lady Une would shiver every time anyone would mention Noin's name in her presence.

* * *

1.15 P.M, Mess Hall

Charlie Straker was Victoria Lake's strongest cadet. Most of his classmates knew it, and he knew it too. He stood 6"3' tall, and despite his impressive weight of almost 180 lbs, he was muscular and athletic, and more than ready to become the most badass mobile suit pilot. He liked to imagine the ground shook when he walked, and people instinctively moved out of his way when he passed them, (if they knew what was good for them) which pleased him immensely. That's why no new recruit would come waltzing into his school without knowing who's boss, especially a mask-wearing freak.

Charlie smirked when he could practically hear the collective sighs of relief when they saw that he had his eyes locked on another target – Zechs Marquise.

Zechs was sitting by himself and was just about to start eating his lunch when Charlie and his friends approached him. Zechs was almost as tall as Charlie, which meant he towered over the majority of his classmates, but he didn't possess Charlie's natural bulk or tendency for violence.

"Well, what do we have here?" Charlie's buddies Ray Sawyer and Lawrence (Larry) Evans snickered.

"What's under that stupid mask? Scars? Or are you just ugly? Why don't you show us?" He looked at Zechs for comment, but the blonde man said nothing. He looked at Charlie in scornful distaste. Zechs really didn't want to fight him, he was always the one to avoid conflict, but now there was nowhere to run with Larry and Roy flanking him on both sides.

"If you won't do it…I'll take it off myself. Get 'em, boys," Charlie roared. He was filled with confidence and the joyous urge to reduce the new guy to tears. Roy and Larry were only too happy to oblige. They quickly restrained him before he could get up. Zechs struggled to break free of their grasp, but the two of them were just too strong.

"Hey! Knock it off!"

Charlie turned around slowly, to face Lucrezia Noin.

"What did you say?"

Noin knew perfectly well that if she didn't stand up to him now, the harassment wouldn't stop anytime soon, not for either of them.

"You heard me. I said, leave him alone." Noin swiftly positioned herself between Zechs and the bully, whose expression was bordering between wonder and perplexity. Something about her confidence and stone cold glare made him stop dead in his tracks. No one talked to him like that, but he didn't want to beat up a weak little girl. After all, one light push might crush her ribs. She had gall, he had to give her that. Without even knowing it, he nodded approvingly. When the real lessons would start tomorrow, she'd have to take her medicine. Every last drop of it.

"Whatever! Let's go, they're not worth my time," Charlie said to his buddies. When he turned away and left, the ground didn't shake anymore.

"I don't need you to fight my battles, Noin," Zechs said quietly.

"I know. You just looked like you needed a friend. Mind if I join you?" Before he could reply (or decline), she had already set down her tray and taken a seat next to him.

"Just be careful, and consider this, Noin. I'm not exactly well-liked, as you can see. Standing up for me might make them treat you the same way."

"So what?" She shrugged.

"I choose you over Charlie Straker every day of the week, Zechs." They both grinned, and that was the beginning of their friendship.

* * *

1.27 A.M. Noin's dorm

Noin was sitting by the window with a book on her knees. A cool breeze drifted in from the window that was slightly ajar. It was chilly tonight, and it would be downright cold before the sun came up and enveloped everything in its sweltering heat once again.

She strained to read the words by the faint moonlight that was shining through the open window. It was long past lights out, and judging from the sound of his heavy breathing, her roommate had fallen asleep. Noin wasn't sleepy, but tonight she couldn't seem to focus on the exciting adventure that was Advanced Physics. The night stretched on ahead of her like an endless road.

Her mind was still reeling with today's events. She absent-mindedly touched the cold window, tracing the outline of the stars. It had been a long and interesting day, and she met quite a few interesting people.

She cast a quick glance at her new roommate. The moonlight illuminated his mask, it glowed faintly in the dark. He apparently ate, slept and showered in that thing. Not that she minded. Rumors about Zechs and his mask had spread in the auditorium like a fire. Charlie Straker was adamant that Zechs was a burn victim, or otherwise horribly scarred, and most of the other cadets seemed to agree with him. Noin figured he was just wearing the mask to hide his identity, and he must have a good reason to do so. She had already sensed he'd been through something, and that something had been very bad. She was bound to find out exactly how bad soon enough.

Zechs had finally fallen into an uneasy sleep. He had turned his bed sheets into a tangle as he tossed and turned restlessly from side to side, moaning something incomprehensible. Noin immediately felt concerned, debated whether to wake him up or not, and decided against it. Zechs needed his sleep. Lady Une had mentioned that morning reveille started at 6 A.M., less than 5 hours away. It wasn't until he cried out that she walked up to him and gently shook him awake.

"Father?"

At first Zechs saw nothing but darkness. Then the pretty face of his roommate drifted into view, who was wearing nothing but a thin shirt (and he was pretty sure she was wearing nothing underneath) and shorts, but lust was the furthest thing from his mind. His heart was still beating like a jackhammer, although he couldn't quite remember the dream.

(There was only darkness, the huge ill-defined thing chasing him, and of course the roar of the fire)

"No, it's me. You were having a nightmare." She sat down on the bed next to him and took his hand. It felt clammy and cold.

Zechs automatically touched his face, just to make sure his mask hadn't shifted. He always felt more at ease when he felt the cool metal.

"Sorry, Noin. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright. I couldn't sleep anyway. Zechs, if you ever want to talk about it, whatever it is, I'm here for you. I want you to know that."

"Thank you. It's just -" he paused, thinking carefully how to put his thoughts into words. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, not for the world.

(I can't)

"Another time, maybe. Would you stay and talk to me until I fall asleep?" His eyes pleaded with her.

To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him. He didn't object to the hug. It was the first human touch in almost 14 years, and he hadn't realized how much he actually craved it. Noin was rubbing his back and talked about all kinds of different things, the things they were going to do tomorrow (history class, fencing, eat ice cream). He was only half listening. Her arms, delicate but in a way, strong around his waist, and her steady heartbeat were the only things that mattered.

When he fell asleep again, there were no dreams.

* * *

AN: A quiet man cometh: thank you so much for reading!

The next chapter will focus more on Zechs and his background, the training itself and the other significant characters/OC's.

As always, feel free to make a suggestion or comment. Reviews are appreciated, and might make me update faster! :)


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